CHINA (UCAN): Although China has lifted curbs on Hubei province, the epicentre of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) breakout, restrictions on religious places continue, casting doubt on when churches can start functioning normally.
Although authorities eased curbs on Hubei on March 25, the capital, Wuhan, where the new coronavirus emerged, will have to wait until April 8 for the lifting of restrictions. A city of 11 million people, Wuhan has recorded 60 per cent of about 81,500 Covid-19 cases in China.
Even as restrictions were relaxed, the country continued to report new infections.
On March 31, China’s National Health Commission reported 36 new cases, 35 of which were imported, meaning they involved people arriving from elsewhere.
Officially, China has reported 83,318 confirmed cases and 3,342 deaths (as of April 15). Of these, 3,193 deaths were from Hubei province.
The communist government has not permitted churches to open for regular liturgical programmes on the grounds that the concentration of people could cause a relapse of Covid-19, said Hubei-based Father Zhang.
“Churches have not opened their doors. Local government authorities are not permitting it. In the case of an outbreak, they are afraid of being held accountable,” the priest said.
He said a parish near him that celebrated Masses on the last two Sundays was reported by villagers. “Authorities came and put a notice on the church door prohibiting services,” he said.
“I’m not sure if they are worried about the coronavirus or trying to suppress the Church,” Father Zhang said.
With no official information on when churches can function regularly, Catholics were unsure if they could celebrate Holy Week and Easter.
Paul Zhao, from the Diocese of Wuhan, said that “a small area is now open” but only those with a government-issued health certificate can access it. He said the government did not let his local church open and may be afraid that the pandemic will return.
“After all, this epidemic was so serious that all are afraid. Even now, if the churches are open, not many will dare to go. It will take some time for churches to have normal attendances … maybe a year. No one want to invite trouble … the past days have been dreadful,” he said.
Juan Liu, another member of the Diocese of Wuhan, worries that if church closures and fear of gathering in churches continue, “everyone’s faith is going to slide.”
Maria Wei of the Diocese Jingzhou in Hubei province, said that although restrictions on her area have been lifted, “the situation is still not optimistic. It is said that asymptomatic infections can also be transmitted, so we are all worried.”
She said, “It’s good that the church is not open because we don’t even know how many asymptomatic infected people will be there. We have to avoid this horrible infection.”
Catholics also noted that not only churches, but also all places of gathering are closed for fear of a return of Covid-19.
